27th Amendment: PTI accuses coalition govt of attempting ‘constitutional coup’

ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday accused the ruling coalition of attempting a constitutional coup, warning that the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment – which it described as the most self-serving and person-specific in the country’s history – would undermine judicial independence, civilian supremacy and the fragile democratic framework.

In a statement, PTI spokesman Sheikh Waqas Akram said the government had pushed the amendment through the federal cabinet in haste, alleging that an “unelected and unrepresentative regime” was seeking to consolidate power, suppress dissent and institutionalise elite control over the state.

He criticised the decision to convene an emergency cabinet meeting to clear the amendment while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was abroad, saying the move “reeks of a power grab” and reflects the government’s intent to “cement control while the nation is distracted”.

He recalled that just days earlier, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had stated publicly that the government was still implementing the 26th Amendment, questioning the urgency behind introducing another constitutional change.

The PTI maintained that the proposed amendment would create a “meta-authority” or “supra-state” structure above parliament and the judiciary, warning that such measures would erode the principle of separation of powers and weaken institutional checks and balances.

“It is a Charter of Oligarchy, written by and for political dynasties,” Akram alleged, referring to the country’s major parties.

He urged the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to oppose the bill, arguing that resisting it could help restore its political relevance, while supporting it would “bury civilian supremacy with their own hands”.

The PTI also criticised what it called the “culture of arbitrary extensions and retirement-age adjustments”, saying such practices favour select individuals and hinder institutional growth.

The party alleged that the government was more focused on increasing perks and privileges and expanding the number of advisers than on providing relief to the public struggling with inflation and unemployment.

Akram said genuine reform required restoring the public mandate through free and fair elections, respecting institutional boundaries and upholding the rule of law.

He warned that any attempt to pass the amendment without broad consensus would further deepen political instability and public distrust in democratic institutions.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025